Eoldable basket



D. C. WOODWORTH.

FOLDABLE BASKET.

APPLICATION men JUNE 24. 1919.

1 ,315 ,067. Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

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DELIA o. woonwonri r, or MANCHESTER, new HAMPSHIRE.

FOLDABLE BASKET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pa tg ted Selling, 1919.

Application filed June 24, 1919. Serial No. 306,413.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DELIA C. VVOODWORTH, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Manchester, New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foldable Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

The subject matter of the invention is the foldable cloth basket embodying the utilization of a wire frame that is simple in construction, colnparatively light in weight but strong and well braced, for the performance of the functions for which it is intend ed. The wire frame is composed of comparatively few parts, but these are hinged together so that they may be folded to compact form, and the differentmembers of the frame are arranged in the bestpossible manner to insure strength with lightness in weight, and the whole is provlded with a sheathing of canvas or other textile material.

In the accompanying drawing one com plete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the parts be-' ing combined and arranged according o the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure. 1 is a perspective view of the foldable basket complete, embodying the novel features and combinations of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the Wire frame, the sheathing of the basket being omitted in the interest of clearness, the frame being laid out flat for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection used at the top of the wire frame for securing the ends, sides and central partition together.

Fig. 4: is a view as seen from the left in Fig. 3.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, three pieces of the frame, as the bottom 1 and the two sides 2 and 3 are hinged together at the respective sides of the bottom piece, by double-eyes 1 made of wire bent into the form of the figure 8. These three sections are rectangular in form and made up of wire properly bent, the bottom having crossed brace bars 5, and the two sides having the respective truss rods 6 for strengthening or reinforcing the frame, and it will readily be apparent that the two sides may be folded over on the bottom for nesting or packing the basket.

I The wire frame ends 7 and S are designed and fashioned of the proper size and shape to close the ends of the basket, and each of the ends has a handle as 9 projecting above the top of the basket, andformed integral with the twospaced posts of vertical brace rods 10, which, it will be noted have their ends coiled or wrapped around the bottom bar of the end frame, as at 11, and at the topof the end frame these same wires are wrapped around the top bar of the frame. Thus the strain of the load, when carrying a filled basket, is applied, not only at the top of the basket, but at the bottom also, and in addition to performing the functions of handle and support, these upright bars or posts 10, spaced between the end bars of the end frames, also form guards or supports for the sheathing12 of the basket. The crossed'rods of the bottom, the truss rods of the sides of the frame, and the handle bars of the ends ofthe frame, all cooperate to support the sheathing, which is of canvas or other textile material, and is stitched to the wire frame in the usual manner. The ends of the basket are hinged to the bottom section of the frame by double loops or doubleeyes 4: in the manner that the sides are hinged to the bottom, and the ends of course are adapted to fold inwardly on the flat bot tom frame for packing.

Arranged approximately midway the length of the basket I employ a partition 1-lutilizing a frame 15 similar to the end frames, and hinged to the center transverse bar 16 of the bottom frame by double loops 4, by means of which the partition frame may turn down fiat on the bottom.

Thus far the invention has been described particularly with a view to its collapsible or foldable characteristics, and now the means employed for holding the frame sectidhs in upright, cooperative position will be described. At the two upper corners, and at the center of the upper bar of the sides or side frames 2 and, when the parts are assembled in Fig. 1, are provided eyes through one of the eyes 17, and at the end or extremity each of these projecting ends is bifurcated or forked to receive the pivoted pawl 21. Thus it will be apparent that the projecting ends form bolts to pass through the eyes and the pivoted pawls are gravity latches, which, after being pushed through the eyes, will drop to position indicated clearly in Figs. 3 and 4:, to retain the parts as indicated in Fig. 1. In assembling the basket for use, the two ends and the partition are first turned upright, then the sides are turned to upright position, successively, and their eyes slipped over the alined pawls of the .end frames and partition, after which the pawls or latches fall to vertical position to retain the parts in locked relationship. In disassembling the collapsible basket, the three pawls at the side of the basket are straightened. out in line with the top bars of the ends and partition, and then the sides are permitted to fall successively inwardly,

and the same action is permitted on the partof the ends and partition, until the hinged parts are all folded over on the bottom section, and the frame is compactly arranged for storing or shipping.

In some instances the partition may be turned down to make one compartment of the basket, but when two compartments are required, as for the purpose of separating white and colored clothes, the partition is used as indicated in Fig. l, to form practically two baskets for the purpose.

As herein described and as illustrated in the drawings, my invention, it will be apparent, provides a receptacle of these characteristics which is comparatively inexpensive in cost, but which is eiiicient, strong and well braced, and facile in converting its parts to different purposes.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with the bottom and side frames hinged together as described, and the end frames hinged to the bottom frame, of eyes formed at the top corners of the side frames and disposed in longitudinal-vertical planes, and the top bar of each end frame having projecting, bifurcated ends. and a gravity locking latch in each bifurcated end, as described.

2. The combination with a bottom and side frames and end frames and a central partition frame, hinged together as described, of an end and an intermediate eye formed at the top of each side frame, said end frames and the partition frame each having projecting ends on their top bars and pivoted pawls carried by each projecting end adapted to pass through the eyes to lock the parts as described,

DELIA C. IVOODIVORTI-I.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commis ioner of Patents Washington, D. 0." 

